Edible Macrofungi of Namibia's Thorn Bush Savanna Bioregion and Their
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Edible macrofungi of Namibia’s thorn bush savanna bioregion and their potential for sustainable development Shelly Rothman Degree Thesis for Master of Science Degree Programme in Natural Resources Management Raseborg 2018 MASTER’S THESIS Author: Shelly Rothman Degree Programme and Place: Master of Science, Natural Resource Management, Raseborg Supervisor(s): Patrik Byholm, Cathy Sharp, Jonna Engström-Öst Title: EDIBLE MACROFUNGI OF NAMIBIA’S THORN BUSH SAVANNA BIOREGION AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT _________________________________________________________________________ Date: 2018 Number of pages: 28 Appendices: 3 Abstract Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, yet, despite a variable rainy season lasting roughly December to April, plentiful macrofungi have been observed in the thorn bush savanna region of the country. Lack of research and public education regarding these species resulted in virtually no knowledge of the country’s fungi and limited fungal knowledge and use among its peoples. Consequently, Namibia is missing a sustainable development opportunity, namely, the growing worldwide popularity of fungi as food, medicine, and means for crop diversification. Therefore, in the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 rainy seasons, this study aimed to inventory the species growing in the thorn bush savanna region and determine edible species available for domestication and cultivation. Field data was collected using regular site visits and specimen collection, plus DNA analysis. A statistical analysis using R statistical software showed species richness and abundance had a positive correlation with rainfall. In total, 67 species were found, with 13 edible species, and six were highlighted for domestication/cultivation research (Agaricus campestris, Calvatia lilacina, Coprinus comatus, Ganoderma sp., Schizophyllum commune, Volvariella volvacea). In addition, three species of termite fungi (Termitomyces) were found which have been overlooked as a food source in the country. The possibility for more edible macrofungi remains, as does the need for more research regarding Namibian macrofungi species and their ecology. _________________________________________________________________________ Language: English Key words: Namibia, macrofungi, sustainable development Table of Contents 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 History of Fungi Use in Society ................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Fungi as Food ............................................................................................................................ 4 1.3 Fungi as Medicine ..................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Toxic Fungi ............................................................................................................................... 6 1.5 Identification of Fungi .............................................................................................................. 6 1.6 Fungi for empowerment ............................................................................................................ 7 1.7 Cultivation of Fungi .................................................................................................................. 7 1.8 Obstacles to Exploiting Wild and Domesticated Fungi in Namibia ......................................... 8 2. Materials and Methods ................................................................................................................... 10 2.1 Field Collection ...................................................................................................................... 10 2.2 DNA Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 13 3. Results .............................................................................................................................................. 13 4. Discussion......................................................................................................................................... 18 4.1 Other Edible Fungi and Possibilities for Sustainable Development ..................................... 21 4.2 Termitomyces – The termite fungi ........................................................................................ 24 4.3 Domesticating and Cultivating Macrofungi in Namibia ....................................................... 27 5. Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 28 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................. 28 Works Cited .......................................................................................................................................... 29 Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ 35 1 1. Introduction The world over, despite the many benefits to humans and the rest of nature, fungi are most often a misunderstood and understudied group of organisms (Hawksworth, 2009). In southern Africa, use of wild fungi by indigenous peoples is common. Numerous scientific articles, books, and field guides have been published on the subject (Crous et al., 2006; Härkönen et al., 2015). Yet, many southern African fungal species remain unidentified and undescribed. (Crous et al., 2006; Gryzenhout et al., 2012). Furthermore, the nutritional and medicinal value of the region’s macrofungi fruiting bodies, commonly known as mushrooms, has been neglected in scientific study. Therefore, they are considered one of the greatest untapped resources for feeding, and providing income for, Africa’s growing population. (Muandingi and Chimwamurombe, 2012) Namibia is known to be the driest country south of the Sahara. The landscape is dominated by desert, arid, and semi-arid savanna, with annual rainfall in the thorn bush savanna region averaging 550 mm during the roughly December to April rainy season. (Jacobson, K.M., 1996) This climate has led to the underestimation of fungi in Namibia and their importance in arid ecosystems (Barnard, 1998). Indeed, very little research has been done on wild fungi in Namibia and the extent of their diversity in the country remains unknown. However, the research that has been undertaken has shown that there is a wealth of species growing in the rainy season, at least a few of which are used by indigenous peoples of Namibia, and there are many more edible and/or medicinal species that could be beneficial to the country’s citizens. These species could, therefore, be considered an underutilized resource for tackling some of the nation’s most persistent problems, such as unemployment, food security, reducing poverty, and empowering disadvantaged populations (Gryzenhout et al.,2012). If these beneficial species can be domesticated and cultivated their rewards to society increase even more. Thus, the goal of this study is to determine how many edible macrofungi species grow in the thorn bush savanna region of Namibia and determine edible species available for domestication and cultivation. Around the middle of the twentieth century, the taxonomic domain of Eukarya was finally split into the three current kingdoms: animals, plants, and fungi. A main determining factor for this was how each group receives its nutrients. Animals ingest, plants photosynthesize, and fungi 2 absorb externally digested food. Other differing characteristics include main components of cell membranes and differing developmental gene sequences. The kingdom of fungi is now considered one of the oldest and largest groups of organisms. (Moore et al., 2011, 29) All animals and plants are primarily made of carbon, in some cases, up to 50% of their dry weight (Woods Hole, 2014). When something dies, fungi are the best organisms on earth at breaking down the dead material and returning it to the soil so it can be used again (Buckley, 2008). They also engage in a symbiotic partnership with many plants providing them with nutrients and water that they need. In fact, fungi are essential to almost every aspect of ecology, agriculture, and medicine. Yet, most aspects of fungi remain unknown to the majority of people and it is estimated as few as 7% of the world’s species have been described (Hawksworth, 2009). In Boa’s authoritative report Wild Edible Fungi: A global perspective, Namibia has only 4 species listed. This is based on all available published information at the time (2004), which for Namibia, was only three documents, all approximately 20 years old. Even in a country like China, which has a long history of fungi use (Boa, 2004), of the 1500-2000 estimated edible species in the country, only 981 have been identified (Chang, 2008). According to Chang (1996), although humans have been consuming fungi for centuries, research on edible fungi has only just begun and is limited to specific institutions in developed countries. One possible explanation for this neglect is that, until recently, fungi were always considered relatives of plants, starting with Linnaeus’ Species Plantarum in 1753. It is now known that they are more closely related to